In a recent column, I retold Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan. Commenting on my line about the priest passing by, columnist Slim Smith wrote, “It reminded me of something Fulton Sheen said on his TV show decades ago:
Q: Why did the priest pass by the wounded man?
A: He could see he’d been robbed already.”
This gave me the idea for today’s article. Although Mr Smith wasn’t doing this, when people are dismissive of religion, particularly Christianity, they seem to have three points.
First, they say, religion wants to make money, then to control people, and third, to justify waging war—as Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill insists regarding the Ukraine invasion.
Using religion to make money? According to Catholic scholar Cornelius à Lapide, Thomas Aquinas once called on the Pope when he was counting out a large amount of money. “You see, Thomas,” said the Pope, “the church can no longer say, ‘Silver and gold have I none.’”
“True, holy father,” was the reply; “neither can she now say, ‘Rise and walk.’”
This lust for material things isn’t reserved to any particular group. There seem to be as many beggars in Christian media as on the streets of Kolkata. Yet they profess to follow One who said, “If I were hungry, I would not tell you.” (Ps 50:12)
What did Jesus say? “Woe to you…hypocrites! You devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.” (Mt 23:14) Or this: “‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’” (21:13) His point: “You cannot serve God and mammon.” (6:24)
What of the charge that the Church wants to control people’s thoughts—that faith is intellectual suicide?
It’s all too common for the religious elite to demand blind faith. Jesus, on the other hand, called people to reason with Him. He said to His detractors, “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.” (Jn 14:11) In other words, If My assertion to deity is a bridge too far for you, examine My works; see if they prove My claims.
Seven times over, Jesus stated that individuals should assess what the Spirit says to the churches, not the other way around. (Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22) You can, and should, love God with all your heart AND mind. (Mt 22:37)
As to religion causing all the world’s wars, that’s rather overstated. Modern atheists—Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, etc.—caused millions of deaths to show this charge is only half true. However, the Crusades, the Inquisition, and Holy Wars seem to prove the case anyway.
But what did Jesus say? “My kingdom is not of this world: if My kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight.” (Jn 18:36) People who commit atrocities in His name are waging the wrong war. It’s spiritual wickedness we’re fighting, not flesh and blood!
So when atheists argue against religion as war-mongering, money-loving, and mind-controlling, they could well be plagiarizing Jesus’ sermons! He doesn’t promote such a creed. Instead, He offers friendship with God, based on personal honesty and faith in His redemptive gift of love.
P.S. He loves atheists, too!
Article by Jabe Nicholson first published in the Commercial Dispatch, Sunday, April 24, 2022.